The Talons of a Dragon
by RixxiSpooks
Summary: Wow, I am the first person to post a Merlin story if I'm correct. Hopefully not the last. This story is about Arthur and Merlin and the effect they have on a young servant. I won't give anymore away. Though sorry if it sounds cliched!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - Just so you know, I don't own Merlin and I am using the characters merely for entertainment purposes. **

**I'm not sure about this story. It is my first Merlin story, in fact its the first Merlin story on this site! Whoop! But you know the saying 'First the worst...' well you and I will have to hope that is not true!**

The stable was quiet and warm with a musty smell that came from the straw that was strewn across the stone floor. All that could be heard were the occasional quiet whinnies or a snort from one of the horses tied up in their spacious stalls. There were around seven animals in total in this private quarter; all magnificent thoroughbred beasts with shiny coats and strong muscles.

Rain hammered down, heavily, on the roof like a rhythmic drumbeat. The sound, although loud, was somehow relaxing and could easily lull you to sleep. It was dry inside the building; a perfect shelter from the terrible weather. Occasionally the howling wind would batter at the entrance but the heavy wooden door would hold steady; barely creaking. It was almost as if the stables had its own little tranquil world; a world entirely separate from outside.

Deep in the hay of the stall that belonged to his favourite horse laid a man. His eyes closed and his chest rising and falling to a steady rhythm. It was hard to tell whether he was asleep or awake. In this instance he was awake but lost in thought but it wasn't unusual for him to slumber in the safety of the stable. After all it was the only place he could sleep undisturbed and untroubled.

The large horse by his side shuffled slightly, kicking up a swirl of dust from the ground. This movement alerted the man and he open one eye to view the scene around him. The eye wandered lazily over the shiny, shoe studded hoof of his stallion and across the flagged stone floor, picking out the spider-web of cracks that had enveloped one slab in particular; cracks which were filled with blades of straw and grains of fodder.

Eventually the other eye followed the previous and opened slowly adjusting to the light of the stables that was being cast by flickering torches mounted on brackets well away from the flammable hay. That was one of the major problems with illuminating a stables, it was liable to go up in flames at any moment. You just had to be extra careful.

The man sat up and pushed back a stray hair that had fallen onto his forehead. He then ran the same hand through the rest of his blonde hair, mussing it even more than before. With a yawn he clambered stiffly to his feet and brushed down his tunic, dislodging any stray bits of hay that had found their way there. He would have to look presentable when he left the building; he was the King's son after all.

You may have guessed by now his name was Arthur Pendragon and he was eighteen years old. He was also my idol.

With a friendly pat on the flank of his trusted companion, the tall young man left the stall, not bothering to undo the latch but leaping gracefully over the low fence; landing cat-like on the balls of his feet, before striding out of the stables. I watched him go, immensely disappointed by his sudden departure. Usually he stayed much longer, all night even, but obviously he had something else to do.

A cold blast of air entered the cosy building upsetting several of the horses. I quickly stepped in to calm them down. Animals never did like storms and there was always a chance of them hurting themselves if not tended to. I stroked one horse's tense muzzle whilst whispering soft words in another's pert ear. That always soothed them. Then I stole out into the night, following the fast disappearing figure back into the castle.

* * *

Footsteps echoed noisily down the initially quiet corridor and I jerked back into a hidden alcove, aware that if I was seen in this part of the castle without reason I would be punished severely. Peering round the wall I caught sight of the back of Arthur's head, he was knocking on Morgana's bedchamber door. I felt an irrational feeling of hatred welling up inside of me; it made me feel sick.

The door opened and there was a hurried exchange of hushed words before the door was slammed shut. I heard a torrent of curses after that and realised that poor Arthur had been refused entrance. Good. A smug smile crept across my face. It was wrong of me to be pleased at the young prince's misfortune but it didn't matter; Morgana had turned him down – again. I could sleep easy tonight.

* * *

Morning came much more quickly than I anticipated. Warm rays of sun were already seeping through the cracks in the stable, bathing the ground in a pattern not dissimilar to that of a prison – black and white bars. However, that would not dampen my spirits. It was a new day in Camelot.

The first job of my day was to let the horses out into the paddock to allow them some exercise before they were used in any of the day's activities. Once they were gone I would begin the mucking out of the stalls, clearing away the mouldy hay and stagnant water. I never could understand how horses could make their quarters so disgusting in one night. After that was done I was given orders about which ones to tack up for what activities and so on. That involved catching the unruly beasts from their frolicking and trussing them up in the royal garb like turkeys on Christmas day. It was ridiculous they amount of decorative pieces they had to wear.

As soon as that was done the pace calmed down a bit and I was left to polish bits and repair saddles. Sometimes I would have to go on an errand to the blacksmith or the leather maker to fix something or other whether it was a horse's shoe or their reins.

However, by early afternoon I was free to do as I wanted. What I wanted usually involved visiting the castle in search of a certain Prince. Today I was so excited about seeing him, for reasons quite unknown, I did not look where I was going and crashed straight into a rather solid object. This object turned out to be a person.

"Whoa! Careful there," an amiable voice said, a chuckle on his surprised lips. I recognised the voice and looked up into the face of a young man. He had dark hair, the colour of a raven's feathers, and blues so bright and intense they could've been drops of the sky on a summer's day. That's what I always thought anyway. His name was Merlin, the Prince's most valued servant.

"So-sorry," I gasped.

"Emery isn't it?" he smiled crookedly, "The stable boy?"

At this point in the story you may be thinking 'what on earth?!' So let me explain my rather feminine tendencies. My name is Emery Talon and I am a fourteen year old Stable Boy; except I'm not actually a boy. Therefore I guess that makes that title null and void. I should be called Stable _Girl, _I suppose, but that doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Plus, have you ever heard of a stable girl? Me neither and neither had they, (by they I mean the King and co) and if you look at it they still haven't considering they don't know I am a girl.

I bet you are confused now. I would be if I was in your position. Anyway, how about I start from the beginning? The reason I am where I am which is here in Camelot – if you get what I mean.

So, I was born to a carpenter and a washer woman, both of whom were poorly paid and could barely gather enough money to feed themselves let alone the growing family they were shortly to be producing. I guess I was their first, well first _surviving_ babe, and I reckon it went all down hill from there. After me there were eight more all of whom needed feeding, clothing and caring for, something my mother could just not handle. And the worst thing of all was that we were all female. I'm sure my father wanted to hang himself by the ninth child.

It got to the point where my father turned to me and said, "Right, Emery, you are leaving home." To which I replied.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are, you are twelve years old and you are not welcome in my house anymore. Find your own life." Just like that he shunned me.

The next chapter of my life was pretty dire and I won't go into details. Let's just say I lived as a beggar and did anything I could for food. As you may know there aren't many jobs for woman out there let alone girls so I decided to do the only thing I could think of and turn myself into a boy.

I shaved off all my hair, back then my hair was a scraggly mess of rat's tails anyway infested with fleas and ticks so it didn't really matter – in fact it was more hygienic – and shed my tattered dress in favour of a tunic and trousers I stole from a washing line. Fortunately, my face was young and quite boyish so I didn't need to worry about that and my body was skinny and undeveloped so I didn't need to worry about breasts. Then my transformation was complete.

It was just a couple of days after my alteration that the King led a procession through the town with many of his men and servants all dressed in red uniforms. That was my first meeting with Arthur who sat high and straight backed on his horse looking like a god in my eyes, with the sun shining on his golden hair. Immediately I decided I would work for this man if it was the last thing I did.

And so that is how I ended up in Camelot Castle, working for a man that I adore but who thinks I am a mere stable lad with bad hair and no home. He permitted me to live in the stables because of that. Still, at least I get to see him everyday.

"Yes, I'm Emery," I nodded – it was really quite fortunate that Emery was a generic name otherwise I would've had to change it completely.

"Well, where are you off to in such a hurry?" Merlin asked, staring intently at my face. I blushed and looked away; did he not know what those eyes did to a woman? Even though he was not the complete object of my affections like Arthur, Merlin could still turn my insides to jelly with his mere gaze.

"Um….nowhere….got an errand in the town, have to…um…go!" I made to run off.

"I think you'll find the village is that way," Merlin laughed, grabbing my arm and spinning me in a circle. I gasped, my face turning the colour of a beetroot before I murmured my thanks and sprinted off like a frightened rabbit.

"Odd child," Merlin shook his head as he watched my retreating back.

**So what do you think? Comments and critisim welcome. Though you have to excuse me if the characters of Merlin and Arthur are wrong because obviously they havent been on tv long so its hard to judge. Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the feedback guys. I was so happy I decided to give you another chapter in the same day. As a result it may be slightly rushed and not as good as the first. By the way, just on an off note, who do you think is better looking: Merlin or Arthur?**

Arthur was talking to his horse….and I was listening. To my shame I was hiding in the loft of the stable straining my ears to hear his soft tones as he whispered to the animal. All I managed to catch was the horse's name mentioned several times and Merlin's and Morgana's but they were the only words I could really make out. It frustrated me to the point that I had to shuffle closer to hear exactly what he was murmuring.

My heart almost stopped as I scuffled along the wooden floorboards and kicked a bag of fodder that slumped over with a muffled thump. I froze for a few seconds but luckily Arthur didn't seem to have heard. I scrambled closer, craning my neck to see him past the large support beams.

"….she is so irritating but so….beautiful. Aster, how can I not help but be enraptured by her? It is like Merlin and that hand maiden, what is her name, Gwen? I'm like an infatuated school boy. It is ridiculous. I bet you don't have these problems as a horse, Aster, for you it is a mere case of liking a filly and then having your way with her. Am I right?" Arthur's voice was bitter but full of wistfulness. I couldn't help but feel hurt; it was like he had betrayed me by saying such words though obviously we had never had a relationship in the first place so I was being stupid. This really should teach me that eavesdropping only disappoints you but I still continued to listen.

"What am I saying? I'm talking to you as if you were human. If Father caught me he would think I was going mad. Not that he doesn't already, mind. Ever since I risked my life for my servant's he's thought I'm a few apples short of a pie. But there is something different about Merlin, he's, I'm not sure, just…..different. I care about him. Isn't that odd, Aster, I care about a servant boy? Maybe there _is_ something wrong with my head."

I couldn't help but smile to myself. Watching Arthur and Merlin's relationship develop from my point of view was unbelievably revealing. I could see their bond strengthening and welding the two of them together to the closeness of brothers. From my perspective I could see how each one felt about the other – that may have something to do with my terrible habit of listening to what I'm not meant to – and it was just a matter of time, I was certain.

Arthur began speaking again, after a few seconds pause, and I leant farther forwards because his voice had dropped in volume even more. Unfortunately, it was actually impossible to get any closer because the flooring ran out, however, my mind didn't actually register that and I felt my hand make contact with thin air. With a startled and somewhat girly yelp, I plummeted into the stall below.

The young Prince's head snapped round, his eyes falling on the crumpled, moaning heap that was me. He looked completely astonished, but that may have just been because of the angle I was looking up at him from.

"What on earth are you doing, boy?" He managed to gain the use of his tongue before I had the chance to escape. "Have you been spying on me? Is this one of the King's ploys?"

"No, sir, no!" I stammered, suddenly aware of an acute stabbing pain in my wrist. I struggled not to let out a small whimper.

"Then what exactly were you doing up in the loft?"

"I am the stable boy, sir! I was fetching some fodder for the horses."

"Really? You are the stable boy?" Arthur looked surprised and I couldn't help but feel a sharp, icy dagger of hurt slam into my heart. His careless words stung me more than he would ever know. He'd never even noticed me. He may have given me lodgings but he didn't remember. "Well, why were you taking so long then?"

"Um…" Think fast, I ordered myself, "I sort of, well, I apologise, sir, but I fell asleep in the hay."

Arthur seemed to consider my reasons for a moment, his brow furrowing before it straightened out to reveal his flawless face again.

"I don't blame you, boy, I do that myself sometimes. It's very warm in here. Now, what is wrong with your arm?" His eyes zeroed in on the limb that was clutched protectively to my chest.

"I think I may have broken it," I whispered, barely able to breathe because of the attention he was giving me. It was sickening really.

"Well, we better get you to Gaius then. What is your name?"

"Emery, sir, Emery Talon."

"All right then, Emery, do you need a hand?" Arthur's blue eyes pierced mine and I felt the familiar blush work its way across my cheeks. Unfortunately or fortunately, whichever way you looked at it, Arthur interpreted this differently to what it actually meant thinking I was embarrassed that the Prince was offering me help. "Its okay, I don't bite you know." I wish. "If you don't want my help just say."

Come on, this was my one and only chance to actually get him to touch me, say yes, I screamed at myself. My mouth was not cooperating and he looked like he was wavering on his decision so I needed to speak quickly or it would be too late.

"Yes, please!" I managed to gasp, breathily. It sounded oddly sexual. Luckily, Arthur, being the man that never notices anything didn't notice that either and bent down to help me up. The feel of his strong hands on my bare arms caused my heart to start pumping faster and my hairs to stand on end; gooseflesh enveloped my skin.

"Are you sure it is just your arm? You look a bit ill," Arthur's blue eyes were so close and so intense; focussing solely on me, I was in heaven. Suddenly his face seemed to get a hazy and I couldn't see his eyes clearly anymore. The world seemed to be tilting on its axis and I reached out, hoping to grab onto something. My last thought before my mind went blank was 'oh lord, Prince Arthur, is watching me faint! Great.' Then everything dissolved into blackness.

* * *

"…passed out from the pain." Were the first words I heard when I became aware of my surroundings again. I could smell something funny, a mixture of copper and lavender, maybe my nose wasn't working after the fall.

"No doubt, it is a nasty break the boy has there; he must've fallen quite hard."

"He did, it was actually painful to watch."

"Well, it was nice of you to bring him here. Poor boy probably had no idea that today he would be slung over Prince Arthur's shoulder and carried all the way to the physician's quarters. He should be honoured." I vaguely recognised the voice as that of Gaius the castle physician. "What was his name again?"

"Emery," a new voice contributed to the conversation, this one I immediately knew the owner of. It was Merlin. Oh joy, I had forgotten he was Gaius' apprentice and would witness all of my mishap.

"You know him?" Arthur asked.

"Probably better than you. I see him quite a lot round the castle and the stables; dealing with the horses and that. He's the stable boy." I couldn't help but think 'Will that always be my claim to fame? Stable boy?'

"I guessed that, considering I found him in the stables," Arthur replied, cagily. "So, is he going to be okay?"

"He should be fine. Once he comes round I will give him some smelling salts for the pain and send him on his way. The wrist has been set so that is all fine."

"Good. I must go now. My father wants to have one of his talks."

I listened sadly as Arthur's footsteps carried him away from me. Still, I couldn't help be pleased that he'd carried me all the way here _on his shoulder_!

"Merlin, now he's gone, I need to talk to you about your ridiculous need to use magic for every given thing. You will grow lazy and selfish if you continue in this way. Being a sorcerer is not just about using magic on a whim, you have to think very carefully about how you use it or it could get you killed!"

"I know, Gaius, and I'm sorry about the thing with the broomsticks and the water, it won't happen again. I promise."

_Magic?! _My mind literally exploded. Well, not quite.

**What do you think? I may have used slightly too much dialogue. Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the feedback. I've tried to improve things that have been asked of me! **

Magic was a taboo word. It instilled shivers in almost ever person in the kingdom when spoken aloud. I had even heard a village woman scream and run off when it was mentioned in passing. I think the fear of the word was only increased by King Uther's constant wariness of it; he kept it in the public eye and therefore kept the terror there. Sometimes I wondered whether he just enjoyed scaring people, but that was highly unlikely.

I would class myself as a normal person – well excluding the fact I'm a girl pretending to be a boy – but for some reason, other than excitement, the word magic had no effect on me whatsoever. Gaius could've said tree for all it did to me. Still, what did surprise me was the carelessness in which Merlin seemed to regard it. I would've thought he would've had the same respect and secrecy about it as the physician seemed to have. However, he seemed totally at ease. I knew this because whilst I pretended to be unconscious they talked often – well Merlin talked often – about spells and some witch and a magic book. I couldn't help but feel completely enraptured by this world of wizards and warlocks and mythical creatures. It was so foreign and, well, magical.

Eventually, it was time for me to open my eyes and return to the land of the living, this obviously pleased Merlin as I was met with his grinning face as I finally came round. It was really quite scary actually, to wake up with someone staring at you – disconcerting you could say.

"Good day to you, Emery," he said immediately, "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," I replied, moistening my dry lips with my tongue.

"According to Arthur you fell down out of the hay loft, right in front of him," Merlin stated, his eyes searching mine for an explanation.

I wanted to draw back. He was very close and somehow very different to how I remembered him. More powerful. There was something in his sapphire eyes that betrayed his quirky, oddball nature, underlying the fact I had now discovered about him. He was a sorcerer. A strong one by the sounds of it, though inexperienced.

"Yup!" I struggled to sound more boyish, my voice was coming out way to high to pass for male. The change in pitch initiated a coughing fit in me and I shuddered, my eyes streaming.

"Whoa, are you all right?" Merlin looked concerned. I tried to maintain an aura of calmness and composure but unfortunately, by the look on the young man's face, it just made me look constipated. "I'll fetch Gaius. I'll be right back." With that he was gone, a tangle of limbs battling to stay upright as he hurried to the door.

"I'm fine," I croaked after him; but it was too late.

* * *

By the time Gaius had checked me over again and ordered that I stay with them for the night I was excruciatingly embarrassed and just wanted to find a hole somewhere to curl up and die in. The two of them watched me like a hawk which was extremely perturbing. I could barely eat with Gaius' eyes boring into every inch of me, scrutinising my actions.

"Emery," Gaius said suddenly, causing me to jump, "You must eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"You are wasting away though," Merlin pointed out, grabbing my slim wrist and enclosing it entirely in his fist, "You're like a skeleton. No wonder your wrist snapped like a twig. Arthur's dogs are plumper than you." His touch was like a burn on my skin and I yanked it away, afraid he would notice the heat rising under his palm.

Now, you may be thinking, wow, this girl has issues with men, can she not even talk to one without fancying him? And to an extent you are completely right – hormones can run riot – however, my brush off of Merlin was for an entirely different reason. This being that it had literally burnt my arm, like a pan hot off the fire. I could still feel the searing pain on my skin after he had let go. Not only that but it had left an odd coloured mark, shaped like his fingers, on my wrist. The mark was a mixture of red and purple but not the shades you would associate with a burn or a bruise. These were primary colours, bright and vibrant.

Shocked and more than a little afraid I hid my arm under the table, sliding my sleeve down over the discolouration. Neither Merlin nor Gaius noticed, luckily. I concentrated on ignoring the sting for the rest of the meal.

* * *

Under candlelight, curled up on Merlin's bed, for he had insisted that 'the old man' as he named Gaius and 'the invalid' – my endearing nickname – had the beds, I inspected the damage. I could hear him snoring softly from the somewhat discomfort of an armchair.

The colour had not changed; the mark looked much the same as it had before, as if someone had painted a handprint onto my skin. The contrast between the cream of my arm and the redness of the blot somewhat emphasised the problem. I would not be able to hide it for long; but how to explain such a scar?

Thinking back to the moment Merlin touched me, I tried to remember exactly what had passed. He had touched me, it had hurt, and I had pulled away. But why would he hurt me? What had I ever done to him? And if so how had he done it with such feather light contact? Unless it was magic; the word was lurking in the back recesses of my mind taunting and cajoling me until I finally considered it. However, I hadn't heard him mutter any enchantments or spells. Maybe he'd done it silently, distracting me with irrelevant babble. But that brought me back to the initial question: why?

Then a thought struck me. What if he hadn't meant to do it? What if he had no idea of what he had done? It never happened when he touched anyone else (I'd seen him brush by Gwen enough times to know) so why me? The mystery reverberated round my skull, refusing to allow me sleep until I just gave up and tumbled out of bed. I decided to go on a midnight jaunt around the castle – not the brightest idea you might've guessed.

* * *

Outside the dark sky was littered with millions of stars, all shining brightly on the kingdom of Camelot. The moon was almost full and cast an eerie, bluish light on everything. This light was so illuminating it was like a different version of day, just spookier and quieter; without the busy hustle and bustle of daily life.

I made my way down the corridor, not really sure what I was doing or where I was going. Flickering torches created strange, creepy shadows on the walls, more than once scaring me with the sudden movement of a tree branch or an owl.

I decided that I would go to the battlements. That way I could see the entire kingdom stretched out before me like an artist's painting, still and unmoving but full of an unsettling realness. Clambering up the large stone steps inside the tower, I tread carefully in my bare feet, suddenly aware of just how cold the night was when I stepped out onto the walkway and a gust of wind whistled by.

The image was just as beautiful as I imagined, if not better, and I wished I could draw well so then I might have a chance of capturing such a spectacular picture.

"Planning on jumping?"

The sound of the voice almost gave me a heart attack and ironically I almost did lose my footing and plummet to what would most certainly have been my death. Luckily, I managed to remain upright, wind milling my arms and lurching back from my previously precarious position. Then I turned to face the speaker.

"You really do have a knack for getting into trouble don't you?" His blonde hair shimmered like a golden halo in the half-light and I caught my breath. The smile on his lips warmed my chilled bones.

"Well, not usually, sir, it just seems to happen when you are around."

"Ha," Arthur let out a soft bark of a laugh, his eyes sparkling. "I think your plight for mishaps is also aided by your ridiculously curious nature and blatant disregard for rules."

"You mean I'm not allowed to be up here?" I questioned, worried.

"Well, technically there _are_ no rules about it, though I doubt my father thought a foolhardy servant boy would decide to make his way up here."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Oh, don't look so frightened, I'm not going to tell." The young Prince grinned at my shocked expression. "As I said before, I don't bite. I'm just interested in why you came up?"

I thought about it for a moment. Did I tell him the truth or just make some rubbish excuse up? I banked on the truth going down better.

"I wanted to see what Camelot looked like at night," I shrugged, "The battlements seemed like the best place so I snuck out of the physician's chambers and came up here."

"Right," Arthur nodded slowly though he didn't look like he believed me. I guess it wasn't the kind of thing he was used to a stable lad saying. I think he expected me to tell him I'd been looking for weapons that had been left up here by guards when they finished their duty or I'd been trying to peer into one of the Lady's bedrooms.

"What are you doing up here?" Arthur looked quite shocked at being addressed so directly by a mere servant and I regretted asking but he held his tongue.

"Thinking. Doing the same as you and looking at the kingdom."

"Are you scared?" I found myself asking.

"About what?" he immediately snapped, looking offended.

"About one day having to run this place? I mean, it's pretty huge and there are so many people and they all look to you to solve all their problems. Won't that be hard? How will you know how to make the right decisions?"

Arthur was silent for a long time. His brow furrowed in concentration. I was worried that I'd upset him and he'd shut himself off completely. After all, I was just a stable boy, why would he confide anything in me?

The wind whipped past viciously and I found myself shivering uncontrollably in my thin tunic and bare feet. I hadn't expected to spend quite so long out here in so little. I was so cold it hurt.

"I-I suppose I won't know exactly what is the right decision, I mean no one can, but I can try and do what is best for everyone; make everyone happy."

"I'm not sure whether you can always make everyone happy," I continued. What the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn't I shut up? "I mean, that is why it's hard. For example, if some woman came to you and asked you to give her son a job and then another came and asked you to give _her _son a job but you only had one job on offer; who would you choose?"

"That's easy, the woman who came first," Arthur stated immediately.

"Ah, but what if the first woman had already got a husband working for you whereas the second was a widow and had six children and no money? Then which would you choose?"

"Oh, I don't know, the second one then."

"But then you discover that the first one is dying and…."

"Okay, okay, I get the picture," Arthur looked disgruntled; "You are pretty well informed for a simple stable boy aren't you?"

"I guess."

"Well, I can't have you spouting confusing riddles like this – its hurting my head - so why don't you scuttle off to Merlin's lair and get some sleep?"

"All right, sir," I nodded reluctantly and shuffled towards the door.

"Oh, and Emery, if you ever come up here again, put some more clothes on!"

**What do you think? Reviews fuel the writer and the writer writes the chapters so review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the reviews! Much appreciated.**

My arm didn't burn anymore. There was still the occasional odd twinge that would startle me but other than that all that was left was the mark. It is usual for a bruise or a burn to fade over time but this one did not show any signs of going away. It was like a tattoo, permanently engraved on my skin. So with this scar on one wrist and the other bound and in a sling I reckoned I was entitled to be off work for a little bit. My boss, the head servant, had other ideas however. He told me that if I was not back to work within a day then I would be dismissed.

That was my worst nightmare so I was in the stable bright and early the next morning, despite Gaius' protests. I had to slip away when he wasn't looking just to get here on time, it was a dodgy business. Fortunately, Merlin wasn't present so I didn't have to evade him too.

I carefully relined the stall with straw, one handed, and a filled the empty trough with water so the beast could drink when it came back from the day's ride. It was a slow process, all this work, without the aid of both my hands and I soon grew hot, cross and frustrated. The final straw – pardon the pun – was when the hay bale fell on me and I couldn't lift it off. I was pinioned by dead grass.

I tried calling for help but no one came and I knew no one would be due to even come back until late afternoon. Eventually I decided to save my breath and get comfortable because I was there for the long haul. However, comfortable was not really a word you could associate with a flagged stone floor with its rough edges and sharp bumps. Why did this always happen to me? Was I a beacon for trouble? Anything that was bad in the world just homed in on me and made my life a misery.

Dozing was the only thing I could do under the circumstances, even in my seriously painful position. That was until I was woken by footsteps and shocked half-chuckle.

"What _have _you done, Emery?" A voice said, sounding incredulous. "Was this a planned nap or did it just happen?"

I tried to twist in my awkward position but it was impossible and I had to speak to Merlin with my back facing him. I felt extremely impolite; not that I could do anything about it. Suddenly his head appeared above mine, blocking out the ceiling on the stables, as he peered down into my eyes. I squinted; the sun was really bright beyond his right ear.

"It's a good thing I came to check on you, isn't it?"

"Why were you checking on me?" I snapped, immediately.

"Oh, okay, so no "Thank you, Merlin, its very kind to get me out of this ridiculous predicament" then?" His smirk irritated me no end. "You know for a stable lad you don't half get in a lot of trouble."

"I know," I grunted, "Now will you get this damn thing off me?!"

"Right, yeah, sorry." The young man bent over and heaved the heavy bale off me. It felt like such a relief when the pressure was lifted from my chest, I could breathe again! "Here, let me give you a hand up."

Merlin reached out and caught my elbow. I let out a strangled scream as agony exploded up the entire length of my arm. I couldn't conceal it, it hurt too much. The boy jumped as if _he'd _been scolded. He looked at me, undisguised concern etched onto his features.

"Are you all right? Were you hurt more than you thought? Have you got crush injuries? I remember Gaius saying something about…."

"No!" I gasped. He jumped again, like a startled rabbit.

"Then what?" His ludicrously blue eyes were full of worry. It was then he caught sight of my elbow and took a step back. "Did _I _do that?" he asked, aghast. The absolute horror in his face made me want to shrivel up on the spot. Was it really that bad? He looked disgusted.

I could barely see my elbow so I had no idea what he was seeing but I could guess it was bad. I craned my neck to try and catch a glimpse but found it impossible and gave up. I needed a mirror.

"Is it bad?"

"What is it?" Merlin's eyes were still wide with shock.

"Well, if it's like this one…" I rolled up my sleeve and showed him my marked wrist, "…Then I really don't know."

"But…" the youth moved forward, his fingers extended as if he was about to touch the blotch. I wrenched my limb away, staring at him was scared eyes. "So it is me!" The look of abhorrence reappeared on his pale face.

"I don't know," I admitted, fighting back tears; I could tell I was upsetting him and not just me.

"They are my finger marks," Merlin stated, his gaze fixed on the mark. His palm moved towards my arm but this time he hovered just above the print, matching his hand to it. They were the same. With his skin inches from mine I felt my hairs stand on end and my entire body began to tingle, little electric shocks shooting down from my shoulder to my finger tips. It was as if my body was in someway reacting to his, maybe even repelling it, like an allergic reaction.

"Can you feel that?" I whispered.

"Yeah," Merlin breathed his face intense with concentration.

It was odd. I felt like we were sharing this really intimate moment; feeling the magic between our bodies flow. Yet neither of us had initiated it and there had never been any feelings before. The experience was completely new and foreign.

"So," I began, "What do you reckon is going on?" I looked up at him and noticed, much to my astonishment that his eyes had turned topaz. It was an unsettling colour to see and I felt chills sputter down my spine. Was this something to do with the fact he was a magician? Did I react to sorcerers? Was I some kind of sorcerer detector?

"I…" Merlin croaked, then cleared his throat, "Have no idea….but I need to check something." And then he broke the link and I felt cold, deserted. He spared me one confused look and then ran from the stable.

* * *

Merlin skidded into the physician's chambers and began rifling through the books, spreading paper everywhere. He didn't understand what on earth was going on, why had he caused such a reaction in that normal boy? It had never happened before yet it looked like he'd scarred the child for life! Those wounds were inflicted by his mere touch and the sensation….the sensation that ran between the two of them sent sparks through his entire being.

He heaved several heavy volumes down onto a reading desk and began flicking through the pages, scanning the contents. But what exactly was he looking for? Odd marks? Tingling fingers? Reactions to sorcerers? When he tried the last one all he came up with was how much people hated magic folk in any shape or form. It was useless. And if Gaius' books didn't know then he doubted the doctor himself would. It was a fruitless search. Unless…

And he was off again. I'd watched him search through the shelves, then the books themselves and then look thoroughly put out. But now the light in his sapphire eyes had returned and he was charging down the corridors once more. I followed, slightly softer with my footsteps.

Merlin led me down several flights of stone steps into the very heart of Camelot Castle. It got colder the farther we descended and I shivered, cursing my disorganisation again. I must be the most unprepared person ever especially for the amount of nosing around I did. Eventually, he reached a large wooden door guarded by two soldiers, both of who seemed rather tired and bored. I observed as the young magician took them both out at once with a few quiet words that must form a spell. It was bizarre, because as he performed the charm I felt my skin tingle again and my heart beat increase. What was wrong with me? Merlin slipped through the door.

On the other side of this door was something I never ever in my lifetime expected to see – a dragon. A huge one at that, like the pictures from legends. At this point I'm sure I forgot to breathe temporarily.

"Dragon!" Merlin called, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. I couldn't help be awed by the underground chamber, it was so large and seemingly endless.

"Ah, the young sorcerer, what brings you here?"

"I need to know something."

"Oh?" The Dragon's voice was oddly mystical and light, not what I would've expected – not that I would've thought a dragon could talk in the first place.

"Well, there is this boy-" He still believes I'm male, even after all this! "And he and I, we had this sort of connection. When I touch him, well, he burns almost. But it's not a normal burn, its bright red and happens within seconds of my touch. But even if I get close to him there is like this current between us, I feel like my magic is flowing out of me. It's sort of scary really." I'd scared Merlin? Now there's a first.

"Ah, I understand."

"You do? Well would you mind explaining it to me because I haven't a clue what the hell is going on?!" Merlin shouted up at him, throwing his hands into the air.

"He or she…"

"He's a boy."

"I wouldn't be so sure," the Dragon continued, "Is a Mamur or Mamuress."

"A what?"

"A Mamur is what you could call the opposite to a sorcerer but not exactly. There are very few born in the world, they are extremely rare."

"What do you mean the opposite to a sorcerer, isn't that a human?" Or an un-sorcerer, I thought, that would have been a more simple name.

"Patience, boy," the Dragon warned, "A Mamur cannot create magic but they can manipulate it. Any spell or enchantment cast by a sorcerer can be repelled by them. It is a form of defence rather than offense. It is in their nature to deter magic, so that is most likely why you experienced such a reaction. It seems your friend is much more powerful than she could have ever imagined."

"I told you, he's a he," Merlin repeated, offhandedly, trying to process the information in his head.

"Why don't you ask her yourself and then we will see?" The Dragon said, jerking its enormous head in my direction, where I was cowering in the shadows, and smiled. A dragon _smiled _at _me_!

**So, what do you think? Is Merlin in character? **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the reviews! Aw, wasnt poor Gwen so cute when she was standing next to Merlin and he said'You wouldnt know your type if they were standing right next to you'! Argh! So oblivious that boy! Love him so much though! This chapter is kinda based on that and just so you know although i forgot in this bit I will be including Gwen and Morgana in future chaps! **

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment, it may not be visible in the dim light of the cavern but I could still feel the heat. I could also feel Merlin staring at me; it was an unsettlingly intense gaze that made my skin prickle. I cast down my eyes, preferring to look at the floor rather than his face. This all had to be a mistake and he was going to laugh at me, I knew it, there was no way I could be anything that special. Or even if it was somehow true then he was going to hate me. I mean, the Dragon even said that I was the opposite of what he was. He was the sorcerer and I was his enemy, his evil counterpart. Which was funny because I didn't feel that evil. All I could do was take his enchantments and spells and turn them against him. I seemed unfair.

"Emery?" His voice was surprised to say the least.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know I was this Mamur thing!" I apologised immediately without thinking, finally meeting his gaze.

"You're a girl!"

"I swear I….what?!" I halted, perplexed, my brain slowly registering his words. But his incredulous tone caused something to snap in me, he made it sound as if there was no possibility of me being female. That smarted. "Yeah and?" I said rather curtly.

"I just, I don't believe it," the young warlock shook his head with absolute bewilderment .

"What? Do you want me to prove it to you?" I asked, raising one eye brow. "Why is it so hard for you to comprehend?"

"I-I'm sorry," Merlin said and then began laughing. I glared daggers at him. What was wrong with him? I suddenly had a flashback to my initial feeling that this was all some elaborate hoax and my expression fell. The young man noticed instantly, his face melting into one of concern. "Are you okay? I really am sorry; I believe you are a girl if you say you are. It was just your defiance and the hand on your hip…sorry…" He trailed off. I hadn't even realised that my hand was on my hip and I glanced down in surprise before swiftly removing it.

"I'm fine but…okay, I'm a little confused. I thought you'd be angry."  
"Angry? Why?" It was Merlin's turn to look mystified.

"Well, that Dragon just said I was your enemy," I said.

"Enemy? Are you kidding? Just because you defend yourself from magic doesn't mean you are my enemy. That is plain ridiculous."

"But…"

"In fact this is absolutely fantastic!"

"It is?" I had obviously lost his train of thought, I had no idea at what point his mind was at. How on earth could this be fantastic?

"Yes, I'm not alone anymore!" Merlin grinned, almost dazzling me with his smile. I had to blink several times to regain focus. I understood what he meant however. All this time the boy had had no one except Gaius the physician to talk to about his gift of sorcery otherwise he would've been killed. He had to keep it secret. But now he had me, a fellow freak who he could confide in. I didn't actually blame him for his excitement.

"So what do we do now?"

* * *

There was a deafening boom as the thunder rolled across the pitch black sky, the looming clouds illuminated occasionally by the flash of a fork of lightning. Rain pounded down on the kingdom, filling the drains and flooding the streets. Several houses were slowly gathering water; stagnant, disgusting water swimming with detritus.

Sheltered from this weather were two young people, hidden in the depths of an abandoned cattle shed. The building was rickety, several planks missing from the walls, but strong enough to keep them warm and dry. Only the occasionally chilly gust of wind could find its way into the dwelling bringing with it swirls of cold rainwater. But this hardly bothered the occupants for they were too busy concentrating to notice.

At either end of the shack they stood, facing each other as if they were about to have a swordfight, yet they had no weapons. A more appropriate word one could suppose would be duel; they were duelling. The fight seemed unfair because one was a young man on the cusp of adulthood, tall and wiry, whilst the other was a child small, skinny and delicate looking. However, despite appearances, the match was reasonably even. Yes, the elder had the edge but the younger was giving all she had.

"Achma grihden soleb!" The dark haired warlock hissed, his voice taking on a deep, unearthly quality. I felt the spell approach me but somehow it did not penetrate the invisible shield that surrounded me. Instead, the enchantment rebounded as if it had hit something solid and a sort of bluish grey light seemed to fizzle and then go out. I still hadn't mastered the art of turning my opponent's charm back on him completely; I was still learning. Nevertheless I was frustrating my new friend no end. "Damn! How did you do that?!"

Merlin and I had been visiting this out of the way cattle shed for some time now. Each time we came we practised our spells, well, Merlin's spells and my defence. It was good training for us both but upset Gaius no end, he believed our frolicking in magic to be foolish and careless – tempting fate he called it. Merlin called it fun. The friendly duels were a good outlet for pent up energy. And at the end of each session we would sit down with the manservant's large spell book and read and discuss.

As for everyone else in the castle they didn't expect a thing. However, Arthur was slightly perturbed by the fact Merlin seemed to be spending a lot of time with a boy three years his junior and vanishing into the countryside for long periods. He didn't really know what to make of it. I was sure he would be even more suspicious of Merlin's antics had he known I was a girl.

"I've told you time and time again, Merlin, I truly don't know." In all honesty I didn't, how could he not get that?

"Ugh, it just seems unfair that you can do all this without even trying whereas I have to memorize spells and say them exactly right for anything to happen." The boy collapsed heavily onto a pile of hay and closed his eyes. I stared at him. "Will you please stop staring at me, Em, it's unnerving."

"Oh god, sorry," I apologised averting my eyes as quickly as possible and groaning inwardly as the familiar flush worked its way up my neck and onto my cheeks. It wasn't just that I was attracted to Merlin – I was, as previously stated – but I just had an irritating fascination with people: how they looked, how they talked, how they felt, how they did anything really. It was odd and probably more than a little neurotic but I couldn't help it, it was how my brain worked, focussing on the small traits and characteristic habits that made up someone's personality. It made me feel more secure in talking to them. That's why my eyes often wandered.

"S'okay, I don't really mind, I just like seeing you blush," the magician cracked open one blue eye and grinned at me. I kicked him in the knee. "Ow! Hey, these meetings are strictly non-violent. That was the deal!"

"Yeah, but that only counts when we are actually duelling. In free time anything goes," I bit back.

"Ooh, really?" And suddenly the man was on his feet and tackling me roughly to the ground. I fell like a sack of potatoes, my legs slipping from beneath me and flying sideways as I landed on a reasonably soft pile of hay. I choked in surprise, my eyes wide with shock. Merlin lay on top of me, his smile wolfish and his eyes dancing with merriment. I swear I literally saw them twinkle. He was so close that I could feel my body reacting, it wanted rid of him. There was no escaping the fact I was a Mamuress. Still, maybe I could ignore my body's rejection of him in favour of something else. My mouth moved towards his subconsciously. "Ha, bet you weren't expecting that were you?" Just like that he was gone, leaping to his feet and prancing away, his face alight with victory. He was completely oblivious to what he had just done to me.

"I, no, not really." How come he was three years my senior and yet he had not a clue about boy girl relationships? It was like he was still a child in that department. I sighed in annoyance. I shouldn't really get frustrated though, it was just a crush and nothing would come of it, just like my long running one on Arthur. A girl like me was just not destined to be with such handsome men.

**Not one of my best pieces but I hope you enjoyed. Review!**


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